LOVE TO LEARN works with young people from new communities and their families to increase opportunities and rights to learning; confidence; wellbeing and aspiration.

We have been working with refugee communities in and around Wandsworth since 2004, when the project was set up by the Katherine Low Settlement. Today we provide a range of services for 200+ children, young people and their families including befriending and mentoring support, advocacy and casework, a homework club, trips and activities.

We’ve just produced this leaflet specially-designed for unaccompanied asylum seekers trying to navigate the system in the UK. Written in simple English and responding to difficulties and frustrations that many of our young clients have expressed, we hope that it will prove useful in working through the bureaucratic maze that is the intersection between the UK asylum system and the field of social care.

Context:

Time and again, we encounter cases of young people seeking refuge in the UK who are landed with uncommunicative or unscrupulous immigration solicitors, or feel that their voices are not being heard by their social workers. Sadly, unaccompanied young asylum seekers can be particularly vulnerable to poor quality service due to barriers they face in fighting their own corner. An empathetic and professional lawyer or social worker can make all the difference to a young person’s case and experience of starting life in the UK.

We hope this leaflet, which will be translated shortly in Tigrinya, will help empower young people seeking asylum to advocate for themselves and know where they can get help when they need it.